Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to edible food coatings and methods of making such food coatings. More particularly, the present invention relates to a food coating made from aromatic rice.
Description of Related Art
Breading, dusting, flouring and otherwise coating foods prior to cooking is popular among U.S. consumers because of the flavorful taste, crisp texture, and typically golden brown appearance resulting therefrom. In recent years, dry mixes and convenience-oriented products have become available for easier, less time-consuming preparation of coated foods which are cooked by roasting, baking, broiling, frying and the like.
Various types of coated foods and the processes by which they are prepared appear in U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,268, dated Aug. 7, 1973, to Van Patten et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,110, dated Apr. 20, 1976, to Knight et al.; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,068,009 and 4,260,637, dated Jan. 10, 1978 and Apr. 7, 1981, respectively, to Rispoli et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,242, dated Jan. 4, 1983, to Jarvis et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,378, dated Oct. 16, 1990, to Bhardwaj, U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,406, dated May 28, 1991, to Ang et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,549, dated Jun. 18, 1996, to Bernacchi et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,546, dated Nov. 5, 1996, to Kristinus et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,731,019, dated Mar. 24, 1998, to Schafer et al.
The intent of many of the coating and cooking procedures disclosed in the above-referenced patents is to obtain a coating which has the taste, texture, and appearance associated with fried foods. This effort is undoubtedly a result of the public's seemingly insatiable appetite for fried foods. Lately, however, consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious, as evidenced by the fact that many consumers are turning to foods which are high in nutritional value and low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and caloric content. Consumers have also shown concern regarding the use of preservatives to enhance the shelf life of certain products. The trend toward healthier foods is likely a reaction to recent medical findings which show that a high intake of fat and cholesterol may lead to arterial and heart disease. The public's reaction to these findings has placed an increased emphasis on the ingredients and processing techniques used to create coated foods.
It is therefore desirable to provide a food coating which provides satisfying taste, nutrition, texture and appearance, which is low in cholesterol, saturated fat, and caloric content, and which also provides a long shelf life with little or no preservatives. The present invention provides such a food coating and the method for manufacturing same.